Degree Completion/Graduation

All students are required to meet specific course and program requirements in order to earn a degree from DePaul University. For more detailed information regarding course and program requirements, see the program description pages on the CDM web site and also follow the links to the Undergraduate and Graduate Student Handbooks in the Related Information section on the right side of this page.

All students are required to submit a graduation application in
campus connection. Failure to submit an application for degree conferral will delay the official degree award date. Students who miss the deadline must meet with an advisor in the CDM Academic Success Center as soon after the deadline as possible. The deadlines to submit the application for degree conferral are as follows:

October 1st for students completing degree requirements in fall quarter

January 15th for students completing degree requirements in winter quarter

February 1st for students completing degree requirements in spring quarter

July 15th for students completing degree requirements in summer session

Following is a list of degree completion/graduation requirements that may not be waived under any circumstances.

Complete the minimum number of credit hours required for the declared program of study. The minimum required credit hours are:

64 graduate credit hours for the M.F.A. degrees in Cinema and Screenwriting

79 graduate credit hours for the M.F.A. in Animation

60 graduate credit hours beyond a master’s degree for the Ph.D.

Earn a minimum cumulative GPA.

Undergraduate degrees require a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000

Graduate degrees require a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.500

Satisfy all program specific GPA requirements. See program descriptions for details.

Students pursuing a second (or more) master's degree must complete a minimum of 52* graduate credit hours beyond any prior designated degree program(s) in addition to any required introductory courses in their second (or more) designated degree program.

Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree. If a required course in the second degree was already completed and applied toward a previous degree, the student must meet with a faculty advisor to discuss a new course to be completed and substituted in the new degree.This rule also applies to cross-listed courses, which are considered to be the same course but offered under different subjects.

Ph.D. and M.F.A. graduates must obtain final approval for degree conferral from their designated review committees. Students should consult their faculty advisors regarding this approval.

Following are additional degree completion/graduation requirements. Exceptions to these requirements are almost never granted. If a student believes he/she has an extenuating circumstance that warrants consideration of an exception, such an appeal may be
submitted online via MyCDM:

Undergraduate students must satisfy the University Residency Policy, which requires that the final 60 credit hours are completed through DePaul University course work.

Second Graduate Degree

CDM does not permit admission to more than one graduate program at a time. Under no circumstances may one course be used to satisfy requirements in multiple programs, except for introductory courses (i.e., waivable). Students may not repeat the same course for credit in multiple programs. Cross-listed courses are considered to be one course in this policy. Students wishing to apply unused courses from one degree to another must consult with an academic advisor.

Requirement Term

Students are required to complete degree requirements according to certain versions of the University Catalog. These policies are designed to assist students in determining which requirements are appropriate for them to follow and what actions may cause a change to the requirement term.

Undergraduate DePaul University Requirements: A student will complete the university degree requirements in place at the time of the student's first enrollment term in the University as a degree seeking student.

College Requirements: A student will complete the college requirements in place at the time of the student's first enrollment term in the College as a degree-seeking student. A student who changes colleges while his/her studies are in progress will complete the college requirements in place at the time of the inter-college transfer. A student who completes an inter-college transfer during a break between terms (e.g. spring break) will follow the requirements in place for the term immediately following the break.

Major / Minor Requirements: A student will complete the major requirements in place at the time the student declares the major / minor (or corresponding “intended” or “pre” major/minor). A student who changes majors/minors while his/her studies are in progress will complete the requirements at the time he or she declares the new major/minor (or corresponding “intended” or “pre” major/minor). Specific liberal studies course requirements are determined by the student’s primary academic major. The impact of any changes to the Liberal Studies Program while a student is in attendance will be addressed through the policy under which the changes are implemented. A student who changes majors or adds a major/minor during a break between terms (e.g. spring break) will follow the requirements in place for the term immediately following the break. In majors and minors with concentrations, the student’s concentration requirements will be determined by the term the student declares the major/minor.

Readmission: A student who applies for readmission will be subject to all degree requirements in place in the enrollment term of readmission.

Graduate Program Specific Information: A student will complete the graduate program requirements in place at the time of the student's first enrollment term in the graduate program. A student who changes graduate programs while his/her studies are in progress will complete the requirements in place at the time he or she enrolls in the new program. A student who changes graduate programs during a break between terms (e.g. spring break) will follow the requirements in place for the term immediately following the break. A student who applies for readmission will be subject to the program and concentration requirements in place in the enrollment term of readmission.

Other Information: A student currently enrolled in a degree program in which revisions are approved while their studies are in progress may elect to formally adopt the revised requirements.

Commencement Ceremony

One commencement ceremony is held each year for the College of Computing and Digital Media. This ceremony is typically held on Saturday immediately following the last day of final exams for spring quarter. Attendance at the commencement ceremony is optional; however, students are encouraged to attend and share their accomplishments with family and friends. To qualify for attendance at the commencement ceremony, students must be on track to graduate in the Spring term or in the immediately following Summer term (all sessions) or must have received a degree in the preceding Winter or Autumn terms.

Beginning in February, detailed information about the commencement ceremony, including date/time of the ceremony, cap and gown ordering, guest ticket information, etc., is sent via email to all students who have a qualifying application for graduation on record in campus connect.

Diplomas and Transcripts

DePaul’s Office of Student Records is the repository of all official University documents, including diplomas and transcripts. Student Records notifies students via email when the degree is officially posted to the transcript and the diploma is ready to be mailed. This will be approximately 6-8 weeks after the term in which the student graduated. At this time, if there are no holds on the student’s record, the Office of Student Records mails the diploma to the mailing address indicated in campus connect. Students should make sure the mailing address in campus connect is updated appropriately to ensure proper delivery of the diploma.